Spring-hinge



G. R. TAXIS. SPRING HINGE.

(Model.)

No. 484,212. Patented Aug. 12,l 1890.

@V4/(Meeuw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. y

GIDEON R. TAXIS, OF MORRIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS,TO TIIE COLEMAN HARDVARE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

lSPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,212, dated August12, 1890.

Application filed .Tune 30,1888.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GIDEON R. TAXIS, of Morris, Grundy county, Illinois,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Hinges, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and

j to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Y The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effectivespring-hinge which is easily made and applied, and which, while littleliable to get out of order, can be easily repaired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective' view of my improved hinge.Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 4.is a transverse sectional view.

Reference bein g had to the drawings, A and B represent two hinge platesor leaves of corresponding design and dimension. Each of these plateshas knuckles a a, extending from one end edge, and the knuckles b l),projecting from the other end edge. The location of these knuckles issuch that when the plates are united by the pintle C passing throughthem knuckle a of one plate will lap past and bear fiat against knuckleb of the other plate. Knuckles b are preferably made thickerthanknuckles a, and the surface thereof against which the lapping end ofknuckles a bears is sunk, so .that the outer surfaces of thearticulating knuckles of the plates may be in the same plane, and sothat when the plates are in the position shown in Fig. l the breasts ofknuckles a and b will meet.

I do not claim anything new for the construction of the hinge-plates andknuckles, as just described, for such method of construction is common.

The new feature consists in the application and combination therewith ofthe J-shaped torsional springs, which are similar in shape anddimensions and are preferably made of steel wire of suitable torsionalstrength. The extremities of the shorter arm of the springs D and E arecaught under and bear outward against the hook-shaped lugs c c, whichface inward and are located near the outer longitudinal edge at aboutthe center of length of each plate. From these lugs c said springspursue a longitudinal course toward and Serial No. 278,705. (Model.)

pass under and around the hook-shaped lugs ci cl, which face outward andare located at the corners of plates D and E, diagonally opposite eachother, and after making a bend said springs pursue a longitudinaloblique upward substantially straight course to and into sockets A andB', projecting longitudinflly parallel with the center of motion of saidhinge plate toward each other from 6o the knuckles b h of the plat-es Aand B, respectively, as shown. These sockets A and B (as reference tothe drawings will disclose) project from knuckles b b at correspondingpoints equidistantly removed from the center of motion of thchinge-plates of the' hinge, and are in the same longitudinal verticalplane as the pivotal center and spring E, the end of the longer arm ofwhich enters socket A (proj ecting from knuckle b of hinge- 7o plate A)in the reverse position to that of spring D, the end of the longer armof which enters socket B', projecting from the knuckle b of hinge-plateB. After the hinge-plates are connected by the pintle C passing throughthe knuckles thereof, (said pintle having a head at one end and beingscrew-threaded at the other, so as to permit a thimble to be screwedthereon to retain it in place,) and after the springs D and E are placedin posi- 8o tion, as described, said springs will, as the plates areturned toward each other, be compressed, so that the ends of thesubstantially straight portions thereof will approach nearer each otheruntil the sockets 'are in such posi- 8 5 tion that straight lines drawnfrom their respective centers to the center o f oscillation of the hingewill be at right angles to each other. vThe compression of said springswill thereupon cease and expansion begins and 9o continues until theplates A and B are parallel with each other. The reverse of thisproposition is equally true. Vhichever way the plates are turned whenthe springs are compressed, there is resistance to the movement, andwhenever the springs expand the movement of the plates is assisted.

I do not Wish to be confined to the use of a J -shaped spring inconjunction with my improved hinge, for a spring operating on the Ioosame principle might be used which would correspond in length to thestretch of said J- the knuckles a of one plate lap outside of theknuckles l) of the other plate, and the J -Shaped 1 5 torsional springsD and E, the shorter arm of each of which is secured by lugs CZ and c ofone plate, and the longer arm of which pursues an oblique longitudinalcourse from lug d to the socket projecting from the knuckles b of the zoother plate, as and for the purpose set forth.

GIDEON R. TAXIS. lVtnesses:

JOSEPH II. PETTIT, G. R. LIVINGSTON.

